IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecanpo/v78y2023icp273-289.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Corporate sustainable development driven by high-quality innovation: Does fiscal decentralization really matter?

Author

Listed:
  • Pu, Xiaohong
  • Zeng, Ming
  • Zhang, Weike

Abstract

High-quality innovation is the crucial way to promote corporate sustainable development. This paper explores the effect of fiscal decentralization on corporate innovation quality with hybrid data during 2006–2019. The findings show that fiscal decentralization can promote corporate innovation quality in China. This paper carries out various robustness tests, and the results remain consistent with the previous conclusion. The findings also suggest that fiscal decentralization can do better in promoting corporate innovation quality in higher-administrative-level cities, eastern regions, technology-intensive industries, and large-scale enterprises. Furthermore, this paper reveals that business cycle plays a moderating role in how fiscal decentralization affects corporate innovation quality, and the promotion effect is stronger in booms than in recessions. The findings also indicate that promotion incentive positively moderates the enhancement effect of fiscal decentralization on corporate innovation quality, while market integration negatively moderates this relationship. This study sheds new light on how fiscal decentralization affects corporate innovation quality, which is helpful for the government to promote high-quality innovation and corporate sustainable development in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Pu, Xiaohong & Zeng, Ming & Zhang, Weike, 2023. "Corporate sustainable development driven by high-quality innovation: Does fiscal decentralization really matter?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 273-289.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:78:y:2023:i:c:p:273-289
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eap.2023.03.008
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0313592623000280
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.eap.2023.03.008?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Philippe Aghion & Nick Bloom & Richard Blundell & Rachel Griffith & Peter Howitt, 2005. "Competition and Innovation: an Inverted-U Relationship," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 120(2), pages 701-728.
    2. Liu, Dayong & Xu, Chunfa & Yu, Yongze & Rong, Kaijian & Zhang, Junyan, 2020. "Economic growth target, distortion of public expenditure and business cycle in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    3. Luis Diaz-Serrano & Enric Meix-Llop, 2019. "Decentralization and the quality of public services: Cross-country evidence from educational data," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 37(7), pages 1296-1316, November.
    4. Hu, Jiangfeng & Pan, Xinxin & Huang, Qinghua, 2020. "Quantity or quality? The impacts of environmental regulation on firms’ innovation–Quasi-natural experiment based on China's carbon emissions trading pilot," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    5. Jian Huang & Longjin Chen & Jianjun Li & Wim Groot, 2017. "Expenditure Decentralization and Citizen Satisfaction with Healthcare: Evidence from Urban China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 133(1), pages 333-344, August.
    6. Philippe Aghion & Ufuk Akcigit & Antonin Bergeaud & Richard Blundell & David Hemous, 2019. "Innovation and Top Income Inequality," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 86(1), pages 1-45.
    7. Elena D. Vaisman & Maria V. Podshivalova & Andrew Adewale Alola, 2022. "Examining the interaction of sustainable innovation activity and the life cycle of small high‐tech enterprises," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 1018-1029, March.
    8. Shiyuan Liu & Jiang Du & Weike Zhang & Xiaoli Tian, 2021. "Opening the box of subsidies: which is more effective for innovation?," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 11(3), pages 421-449, September.
    9. He, Weijun & Wang, Bo & Danish, & Wang, Zhaohua, 2018. "Will regional economic integration influence carbon dioxide marginal abatement costs? Evidence from Chinese panel data," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 263-274.
    10. TIAN, Xiaoli & KOU, Gang & ZHANG, Weike, 2020. "Geographic distance, venture capital and technological performance: Evidence from Chinese enterprises," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    11. Chen, Yang & Li, Weiwei & Yi, Pingtao, 2020. "Evaluation of city innovation capability using the TOPSIS-based order relation method: The case of Liaoning province, China," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    12. Su, Chi-Wei & Pang, Li-Dong & Tao, Ran & Shao, Xuefeng & Umar, Muhammad, 2022. "Renewable energy and technological innovation: Which one is the winner in promoting net-zero emissions?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    13. Ungkyu Han & Mette Asmild & Martin Kunc, 2016. "Regional R&D Efficiency in Korea from Static and Dynamic Perspectives," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(7), pages 1170-1184, July.
    14. Ben-Nasr, Hamdi & Ghouma, Hatem, 2018. "Employee welfare and stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 700-725.
    15. Bordo, Michael D. & Duca, John V. & Koch, Christoffer, 2016. "Economic policy uncertainty and the credit channel: Aggregate and bank level U.S. evidence over several decades," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 90-106.
    16. Zhang, Tao & Zou, Heng-fu, 1998. "Fiscal decentralization, public spending, and economic growth in China," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 221-240, February.
    17. Kuo Zhou & Baicheng Zhou & Mengmeng Yu, 2020. "The impacts of fiscal decentralization on environmental innovation in China," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(4), pages 1690-1710, December.
    18. Haner, Udo-Ernst, 2002. "Innovation quality--a conceptual framework," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(1), pages 31-37, November.
    19. Lee, Chi-Chuan & Lee, Chien-Chiang & Xiao, Shunyi, 2021. "Policy-related risk and corporate financing behavior: Evidence from China’s listed companies," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 539-547.
    20. Cheng, Shulei & Fan, Wei & Chen, Jiandong & Meng, Fanxin & Liu, Gengyuan & Song, Malin & Yang, Zhifeng, 2020. "The impact of fiscal decentralization on CO2 emissions in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    21. Charles M. Tiebout, 1956. "A Pure Theory of Local Expenditures," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 64(5), pages 416-416.
    22. Liu, Shiyuan & Du, Jiang & Zhang, Weike & Tian, Xiaoli & Kou, Gang, 2021. "Innovation quantity or quality? The role of political connections," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    23. Ge, Jiali & Fu, Yang & Xie, Rui & Liu, Yu & Mo, Wenyang, 2018. "The effect of GVC embeddedness on productivity improvement: From the perspective of R&D and government subsidy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 22-31.
    24. Zhang, Weike & Zhang, Xueyuan & Tian, Xiaoli & Sun, Fengwei, 2021. "Economic policy uncertainty nexus with corporate risk-taking: The role of state ownership and corruption expenditure," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    25. Sun, Wenqi & Zhao, Yuanjun & Sun, Lu, 2020. "Big Data Analytics for Venture Capital Application：Towards Innovation Performance Improvement," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 557-565.
    26. John Qi Dong & Chia-Han Yang, 2019. "Information technology and innovation outcomes: is knowledge recombination the missing link?," European Journal of Information Systems, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(6), pages 612-626, November.
    27. Zhang, Weike & Luo, Qian & Liu, Shiyuan, 2022. "Is government regulation a push for corporate environmental performance? Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 105-121.
    28. Chen, Jie & Leung, Woon Sau & Evans, Kevin P., 2016. "Are employee-friendly workplaces conducive to innovation?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 61-79.
    29. Feng Zhang & Lei Zhu, 2019. "Enhancing corporate sustainable development: Stakeholder pressures, organizational learning, and green innovation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 1012-1026, September.
    30. Wen, Huwei & Zhong, Qiming & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2022. "Digitalization, competition strategy and corporate innovation: Evidence from Chinese manufacturing listed companies," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    31. Wang, Chengqi & Kafouros, Mario & Yi, Jingtao & Hong, Junjie & Ganotakis, Panagiotis, 2020. "The role of government affiliation in explaining firm innovativeness and profitability in emerging countries: Evidence from China," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(3).
    32. Szczygielski, Krzysztof & Grabowski, Wojciech & Pamukcu, Mehmet Teoman & Tandogan, Vedat Sinan, 2017. "Does government support for private innovation matter? Firm-level evidence from two catching-up countries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 219-237.
    33. Jing Li & Xinlu Wu & Baogui Xin, 2021. "Research on the Impact of Government R&D Funding on Regional Innovation Quality: Analysis of Spatial Durbin Model Based on 283 Cities in China," Complexity, Hindawi, vol. 2021, pages 1-20, July.
    34. Aleksander Jakimowicz & Daniel Rzeczkowski, 2019. "Firm ownership and size versus innovation activities over the business cycle: near-zero inertia as a sign of the transition from the fifth to the sixth Kondratieff wave," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 10(4), pages 689-741, December.
    35. P. Zhou & B. Ang, 2009. "Comparing MCDA Aggregation Methods in Constructing Composite Indicators Using the Shannon-Spearman Measure," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 94(1), pages 83-96, October.
    36. Tang, Chang & Xu, Yuanyuan & Hao, Yu & Wu, Haitao & Xue, Yan, 2021. "What is the role of telecommunications infrastructure construction in green technology innovation? A firm-level analysis for China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Wan, Guochao & Zhang, Weike & Li, Chao, 2024. "How does low-carbon city pilot policy catalyze companies toward ESG practices? Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 1593-1607.
    2. Ji, Qiang & Nie, Song, 2024. "How does local government fiscal pressure affect corporate ESG performance?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    3. Liu, Lihua & Weng, Danyan & Zhang, Qin, 2023. "Unintended consequences of tax enforcement on corporate innovation: Evidence from a natural experiment in China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1292-1309.
    4. Liyang Zheng & Huijie Huang & Jiali Han, 2024. "Can Symbiotic Relationship Promote Green Technology Innovation of Agricultural Enterprises? A Study Based on the Empirical Evidence of Chinese Agricultural Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-19, December.
    5. Zhou, Kuo & Qu, Zhi & Wei, Zhixuan & Zhao, Jiyang, 2023. "Does government fiscal pressure matter for firm environmental performance? The role of environmental regulation and tax competition," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1187-1204.
    6. Sheng Xu & Jingxue Chen & Demei Wen, 2023. "Research on the Impact of Carbon Trading Policy on the Structural Upgrading of Marine Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-17, April.
    7. Huang, Xiulu & Wang, Xiaoyu & Ge, Pengfei, 2024. "Selective industrial policy and innovation resource misallocation," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 124-146.
    8. Zhao, Qian & Ding, Longfei & Pirtea, Marilen Gabriel & Vǎtavu, Sorana, 2023. "Does technological innovation bring better air quality?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 978-990.
    9. Yiming Li & Liru Bai, 2024. "Analyzing Green Growth Efficiency in China and Investigating the Spatial Effects of Fiscal Decentralization: Case Study of Prefecture-Level Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-28, April.
    10. Yixuan Chen & Shanyue Jin, 2023. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Green Technology Innovation: The Moderating Role of Stakeholders," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-20, May.
    11. Bo Zeng & Weimin Zhang & Defang Ma & Chenyang Zhang & Xiao Liu, 2023. "The Impact of Group Control on the Effectiveness of Enterprise Innovation: An Empirical Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-15, July.
    12. Li Jing & Huying Zhang, 2023. "Venture Capital, Compensation Incentive, and Corporate Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-19, March.
    13. Liu, Fangying & Su, Chi Wei & Tao, Ran & Qin, Meng & Umar, Muhammad, 2024. "Fintech and aluminium: Strategic enablers of climate change mitigation and sustainable mineral policy," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    14. Zhang, Weike & Zeng, Ming, 2024. "Is artificial intelligence a curse or a blessing for enterprise energy intensity? Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    15. Qing Yang & Jinbo Qiao & Shaohui Zou & Delu Wang & Jiayi Hao, 2023. "Towards Sustainable Development: Investigating the Heterogeneity and Driving Factors of Green Total Factor Productivity in Coal Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-18, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Li, Xin & Li, Zheng & Su, Chi-Wei & Umar, Muhammad & Shao, Xuefeng, 2022. "Exploring the asymmetric impact of economic policy uncertainty on China's carbon emissions trading market price: Do different types of uncertainty matter?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    2. Zhang, Weike & Luo, Qian & Zhang, Yufeng & Yu, Ao, 2023. "Does green credit policy matter for corporate exploratory innovation? Evidence from Chinese enterprises," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 820-834.
    3. Zhang, Weike & Luo, Qian & Liu, Shiyuan, 2022. "Is government regulation a push for corporate environmental performance? Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 105-121.
    4. Liu, Shiyuan & Du, Jiang & Zhang, Weike & Tian, Xiaoli & Kou, Gang, 2021. "Innovation quantity or quality? The role of political connections," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    5. Yuegang Song & Songlin Jin & Zhenhui Li, 2022. "Venture Capital and Chinese Firms’ Technological Innovation Capability: Effective Evaluation and Mechanism Verification," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-20, August.
    6. Gao, Kang & Yuan, Yijun, 2022. "Government intervention, spillover effect and urban innovation performance: Empirical evidence from national innovative city pilot policy in China," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    7. Yu, Zhen & Shen, Yiran & Jiang, Shengjun, 2022. "The effects of corporate governance uncertainty on state-owned enterprises' green innovation in China: Perspective from the participation of non-state-owned shareholders," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    8. Pi-Hsia Liang & Yan-Ping Chi, 2021. "Influence of Perceived Risk of Blockchain Art Trading on User Attitude and Behavioral Intention," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-20, December.
    9. Zhang, Weike & Fan, Hongxia & Zhao, Qiwei, 2023. "Seeing green: How does digital infrastructure affect carbon emission intensity?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PB).
    10. Yuchen Song & Jingshu Ma & Shuai Guan & Yongfu Liu, 2022. "Fiscal Decentralization, Regional Innovation and Industrial Structure Distortions in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.
    11. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Tang, Manting & Lee, Chi-Chuan, 2023. "Reaping digital dividends: Digital inclusive finance and high-quality development of enterprises in China," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(2).
    12. Xianpu Xu & Shan Li, 2022. "Neighbor-Companion or Neighbor-Beggar? Estimating the Spatial Spillover Effects of Fiscal Decentralization on China’s Carbon Emissions Based on Spatial Econometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-26, August.
    13. Suyi Zheng & Jiandong Wen, 2023. "How Does Firm-Level Economic Policy Uncertainty Affect Corporate Innovation? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-23, April.
    14. Zhao, Qian & Ding, Longfei & Pirtea, Marilen Gabriel & Vǎtavu, Sorana, 2023. "Does technological innovation bring better air quality?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 978-990.
    15. Li, Yunjian & Chen, Jiawen & Li, Li & Huang, Xiaojun, 2024. "Government innovation awards, innovation funds acquisition and enterprise innovation," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 846-864.
    16. Yang, Hefan & Liu, Xilu & Meng, Yao & Feng, Baoyi & Chen, Zhijun, 2024. "Digital transformation and the allocation of decision-making rights within business groups – Empirical evidence from China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    17. Chen, Fuyong & Zeng, Xiao & Guo, Xiang, 2024. "Green finance, climate change, and green innovation: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    18. Baocheng He & Jiawei Wang & Jiaoyang Wang & Kun Wang, 2018. "The Impact of Government Competition on Regional R&D Efficiency: Does Legal Environment Matter in China’s Innovation System?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-18, November.
    19. Septimiu-Rares SZABO, 2017. "The Empirical Relationship Between Fiscal Decentralization And Economic Growth: A Review Of Variables, Models And Results," Management Research and Practice, Research Centre in Public Administration and Public Services, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 9(2), pages 47-66, June.
    20. Jin, Jing & Zou, Heng-fu, 2002. "How does fiscal decentralization affect aggregate, national, and subnational government size?," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 270-293, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:78:y:2023:i:c:p:273-289. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/economic-analysis-and-policy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.